Making Miami-Dade a No Kill Community!

Last year, Miami-Dade County killed roughly 22,000 dogs and cats in its shelter — six out of every ten, a result shamefully touted as progress. We believe that staggering level of killing is inconsistent and out-of-touch with our community's values. It is especially unacceptable when compared with the municipal shelters in cities like Reno, NV, Charlottesville, VA, Ithaca, NY, and Austin, TX, which save over 90% of all animals in their open-admission shelters.

No longer will we accept this misappropriation of our tax dollars to needlessly kill companion animals when proven, and more cost-effective, lifesaving alternatives can and will work. With the appointment of a compassionate new director at MDAS, the opportunity for change is ripe, and No Kill Miami is calling on the community to support this new lifesaving mission.

A collaboration of animal welfare advocates, no kill front-runners, and compassionate taxpaying citizens, No Kill Miami is working towards one common goal: to ensure that Miami-Dade Animal Services (MDAS) aggressively and comprehensively implements the programs and services of the best performing open-admission shelters in the country — otherwise known as the No Kill Equation (NKE).

To signal this committment to the community, the Miami-Dade Board of Commissioners should:

With your help, and the help of other concerned citizens just like you, we can end the killing today. Be a part of the solution! Join our army of compassion as we work to implement all-new lifesaving programs and services at Miami-Dade Animal Services!

Visit www.nokillmiami.org to learn more, and/or to volunteer with one of our exciting projects!

Letter to

Mayor Carlos Gimenez

Commissioner Xavier L. Suarez, District 7

Commissioner Jean Monestime, District 2

and 12 others

Commissioner Lynda Bell, District 8

Commissioner Audrey Edmonson, Vice Chair, District 3

Commissioner Dennis C. Moss, District 9

Commissioner Sally A. Heyman, District 4

Commissioner Javier D. Souto, District 10

Commissioner Bruno A. Barreiro, District 5

Commissioner Joe A. Martinez – Chairman, District 11

Commissioner Esteban Bovo, Jr., District 13

Commissioner José “Pepe” Díaz, District 12

Commissioner Rebeca Sosa, District 6

Commissioner Barbara J. Jordan, District 1

Alex Munoz, Director of Miami Dade Animal Services

I just signed the following petition addressed to: Miami-Dade Animal Services; Miami-Dade County Officials.

----------------Please Adopt a No Kill Resolution, and Implement the No Kill Equation at Miami-Dade Animal Services!

Last year, Miami-Dade County killed roughly 22,000 dogs and cats in its shelter — six out of every ten, a result shamefully touted as progress. We believe that staggering level of killing is inconsistent and out-of-touch with our community's values. It is especially unacceptable when compared with the municipal shelters in cities like Reno, NV, Charlottesville, VA, Ithaca, NY, and Austin, TX, which save over 90% of all animals in their open-admission shelters.

No longer will we accept this misappropriation of our tax dollars to needlessly kill companion animals when proven, and more cost-effective, lifesaving alternatives can and will work.

With the appointment of a compassionate new director at MDAS, the opportunity for change is ripe, and No Kill Miami is calling on the community and County leaders to support our new lifesaving mission: aggressive and comprehensive implementation of the programs and services of the best performing open-admission shelters in the country — otherwise known as the No Kill Equation.

There are communities in the United States that have eliminated population control killing. We want—and the animals deserve—No Kill in Miami-Dade. But it requires shelter leaders and municipal leaders committed to these goals and dedicated to diligent implementation.

Only the No Kill Equation model has achieved this success. It is a program model which changes the way shelters operate and which gives the animal loving public an integral role in that operation. If our community wants success, this is the way to go: nothing else has succeeded.

The mandatory programs and services include:

I. Feral Cat TNR Program

II. High-Volume, Low-Cost Spay/Neuter

III. Rescue Groups

IV. Foster Care

V. Comprehensive Adoption Programs

VI. Pet Retention

VII. Medical and Behavior Rehabilitation

VIII. Public Relations/Community Involvement

IX. Volunteers

X. Proactive Redemptions

XI. A Compassionate Director

Following a commitment to No Kill is the need for accountability. Accountability means having clear definitions, a lifesaving plan, and protocols and procedures oriented toward preserving life. But accountability also allows, indeed requires, flexibility. Too many shelters lose sight of this principle, staying rigid with shelter protocols, believing these are engraved in stone. They are not. Protocols are important because they ensure accountability from staff. But protocols without flexibility can have the opposite effect: stifling innovation, causing lives to be needlessly lost, and allowing shelter employees who fail to save lives to hide behind a paper trail.

To meet the challenge that No Kill entails, shelter leadership and Miami-Dade County officials need to get the community excited, to energize people for the task at hand. By working with people, implementing lifesaving programs, and treating each life as precious, our shelter can transform the community.

To signal this committment to the community, the Miami-Dade Board of Commissioners should:

(1) Join Manatee County, FL in adopting a Miami-Dade County No Kill Resolution: http://www.bradenton.com/2011/10/11/3562503/manatee-approves-one-of-the-first.html, and

(2) Follow the lead of Manatee County, and successful No Kill communities like Austin, TX, in adopting a No Kill Implementation/Action Plan that reflects the needs of Miami-Dade.